France’s Oscar Dilemma: Richard Linklater vs. Jafar Panahi?

France hasn’t won an international Oscar in 32 years — which is disastrous considering that, year in and year out, it produces some of the best films world cinema has to offer.

Part of the blame has to go to the French selection committee, which has repeatedly bungled its choices. In 2023, there was considerable shock when France selected Trần Anh Hùng’s “The Taste of Things” over Justine Triet’s Palme d’Or-winning “Anatomy of a Fall.”

French critics were furious and expressed their dissatisfaction through numerous think pieces. Triet also seemed none too pleased, reposting a string of Instagram messages criticizing the snub.

The dubious selection followed another controversial French pick the year before. In 2022, France chose Palme d’Or winner “Titane” over Audrey Diwan’s Golden Lion-winning abortion drama “Happening,” which had significant momentum in the U.S. after the Supreme Court voted to strike down Roe v. Wade.

This year, the decision isn’t any easier. Anne Thompson is reporting that two films appear to be frontrunners, both helmed by non-French filmmakers.

First is Richard Linklater’s “Nouvelle Vague,” a love letter to Jean-Luc Godard’s 1960 classic “Breathless.” According to Thompson, Netflix sees it as more than a festival artifact—they plan to campaign heavily in numerous categories, including Best Picture and Best Director.

The real competition, however, comes from an unlikely contender. Since Iran would never submit Jafar Panahi’s recent Palme d’Or winner “It Was Just an Accident,” its French producers, Philippe Martin and David Thion, are pushing for it instead.

“Nouvelle Vague” is a charming, breezy, and infectious celebration of French cinema, while Panahi’s film is serious, confrontational, and politically sharp — barely French at all. Yet, it could very well become France’s de facto choice based on its producers alone.

This highlights how broken the Oscar rules are for the International Feature category. Just last year, India and Georgia snubbed their most acclaimed films — “All We Imagine as Light” and “Beginning” — for political reasons. Coincidentally, France had “All We Imagine as Light” on its shortlist but ultimately went with “Emilia Pérez.”

So, once again, France faces a dilemma: Linklater or Panahi? The Texan or the Iranian? Which way will it go?